Human remains discovered in Idlewild

IDLEWILD — Lake County Sheriff's deputies are investigating human remains which were discovered in the Idlewild area on Oct. 27.

The Lake County Sheriff's Department is investigating the case with assistance from the Michigan State Police. Undersheriff Dennis Robinson said the body found had been reduced to skeletal remains and looks to have been there for a long time, but tests will need to be completed before a definite time frame can be determined.

"A hunter stumbled onto some bones at about 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 27," explained Robinson. "We arrived at the scene in the woods near Baldwin and McKinley Street. We found the bones of a person, we don't know if they were male or female yet, as well as shoes and clothing. The bones are going to an anthropologist for DNA testing and examination to see if they can be identified and a cause of death can be found."

The remains were excavated carefully but quickly as authorities expected rain to move into the area that night. Crime lab personnel from the Michigan State Police were brought to the scene as well as a remote-controlled drone to create a grid map of the area and photograph the scene from the air.

"There's nothing to indicate foul play at this point, but there's very little to work with to prove or disprove that at this time," said Robinson. "There's no soft remains so a pathologist would be limited in that they could do. Sending skeletal remains to an anthropologist is standard procedure in a case like this."

The clothing on the body was highly deteriorated. A flashlight was discovered near the body and will be checked for fingerprints. No weapons were found in the area.